RE: [ga] ICANN Travel Budgeting

["Debbie Garside" <debbie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Ross

I think paying travel and accommodation for Council Members to attend
international meetings is quite reasonable.  It happens all the time in
politics and industry.

I was concerned at the amounts being bandied around at first but I am sure
that with the public eye always upon them, ICANN will most certainly make
sure that there are receipts for the airfares, hotels and subsistence claims
submitted by Council Members.

With a maximum budget of around £3,500 per member I don't see much amiss
here.

BTW, I once enjoyed a meeting in Northern Italy courtesy of my local
townspeople; I was their Town Councillor!  I am now partially funded by the
standards industry or I just wouldn't be able to afford to go to
International Standardization meetings.

Funnily enough most people think that travelling abroad to meetings is fun.
I can tell you it is not all it is cracked up to be.  Consider the jet-lag,
inconvenience, missing your family, a month boning up on your subject matter
and organizing presentations and documentation.  Then consider being met
with adversity and mayhem by way of people who have a multitude of different
ideas to yours and are intent on "bringing you down" in order for their idea
to be accepted.   If you are very lucky you get one day touring the city.
Not my idea of fun at all!

Best

Debbie

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-ga@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:owner-ga@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Ross Rader
> Sent: 10 December 2007 11:36
> To: ga@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx >> GA
> Subject: Re: [ga] ICANN Travel Budgeting
>
>
> On 10-Dec-07, at 4:45 AM, Debbie Garside wrote:
>
> > Seems a bit more reasonable now.
>
> Reasonable? How does paying a bunch of lobbyists, consultants
> and private sector representatives to show up at meetings
> ever become reasonable?
>
> Ross Rader
> Director, Retail Services
> t. 416.538.5492
> c. 416.828.8783
> http://www.domaindirect.com
>
> "To solve the problems of today, we must focus on tomorrow."
> - Erik Nupponen
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